Annotated Index to Articles published in the current issue of the National Psychological Journal

July 2-5, 2019, Moscow faced the 16th European Psychological Congress attended by more than 2700 participants from 94 countries and based on the Russian Academy of Education and Moscow Lomonosov State University thanks to the interagency interaction of the structures of the Government of the Russian Federation, scientific foundations and oranisations of practical psychology

Background. The development of media and information structures in the recent decades has changed the scientific paradigm of knowledge. The scientists get focused on studying how the information is stored, processed and decoded using certain cognitive structures of the human architecture. 

Hypermedia as a means of manipulating the minds of their recipients combine scientific knowledge and ancient and modern myths. The cognitive potential of media sources is expanded via replacing previous anthropocentric concepts presented in the philosophical, religious and scientific approaches to culture. 

The Objective of the study is to look into the futuristic ideas implied in the media discourse and presented in the following conceptual spheres: Automated Labor, Cloud Technology, Cyborgs, Smart City, Artificial Intelligence, 3D Printing , Immersive and Augmented reality, Cryptocurrency Finance.

Design. The following sections of English media are analyzed: World, Lifestyle, Science and Technology, Culture, Sport, Medicine and Health, Business and Finance. They include news, features, editorials, columns, etc., videos and even memes. The online quality papers such as The Daily Telegraph, The Independent, The Economist, The Times, The Financial Times, etc. Network news portals (Reuters, BBC, Euronews, CNN), news websites and blogs (Huffington Post), video hosting sites (YouTube), cable and satellite television and radio channels (CNBC, Fortune, etc.) are in the focus of the research.
The sample includes 866 lexical units that shape either felicitous or dismal perception of the conceptual spheres identified within the media discourse.

The lexical expression of the concept spheres allow to shape the world of the future, which makes it possible to divide them into two categories. The first category contains lexical units that reflect positive associations with the technological advances that may occur in the human society of the future. The lexical expressions of the second category form a negative attitude towards the reality of the future in the recipient of media discourse materials.
Results. The futuristic worldview as a reflection of discursive concepts suggested and perceived via hypermedia is presented in two aspects either a positive perception of the advent of technologies and technological advance at a fast pace in the future, or a negative impact on humans and their values.

Conclusion. Shaping the view of potential worlds of the future in the English media discourse is a work with an open ending, which makes the recipient choose between good and evil. The split of the felicitous and dismal worldview helps the recipients to better understand its essence in the stream of potential technological and cultural changes in order to eliminate the social psychopathy associated with the emergence of new technologies.

The shift from the religious and philosophical paradigm to the scientific and futuristic worldview the attitude of people towards changes in social and public life.

Mental structures in the flow of hypermedia perceived through the futuristic concepts are to bring about new ways to explore the human nature and human intelligence, which contributes a lot to the development of science and are liable for further research.

“National Psychological Journal” is All- Russian scientific and analytical issue which highlights achievements in different areas of modern psychological science and practice.

The Journal publishes original scientific and practice-oriented articles on topical issues of the various areas of psychology, which is distinguished by scientific novelty and distinctive author’s viewpoint.

Background. The paper focuses on manipulating the mass consciousness of the audience. Traditionally, this issue has been considered as an attempt to present the advertising of a TV product as information, but within the digital age, there is a desire to present promotion of TV content as a game. However, the “non-gaming” goals of the institutions that stand behind video games and games in alternate reality may be hidden from the players and serve commercial goals.

Objective. The study focuses on identifying and describing the advantages and disadvantages of using gamification in the TV promo-discourse. The author examines examples of using games in alternative reality and also multiplayer online games in real time in order to attract the attention of films and TV series viewers, analyzes the causes of success and failure of similar projects in related fields, and also in science and business.

Design. The study is valuable for interdisciplinary approach. Analyzing the use of gamification techniques in the TV promo-discourse the author raises topical issues of media psychology, perception psychology, philosophy of video games, ethics, communicative stylistics and media stylistics.

The paper highlights philological methods designed according to the tasks of the research: communicative discursive analysis, synchronic descriptive and synchronic comparative methods. The description of the provisions and forms of persuasive communication as applied to TV promotions includes elements of logical meaning-specific analysis (i.e. argumentative analysis), and also intentional, ethical and psychological analysis. This approach helps to give an adequate description of gamification effects in TV promodiscourse.

Results. The author comes to the conclusion that the ability of game mechanics to motivate mass recepients of the TV promo discourse to watch television programs is enormous, but the viewers of the TV channels need to be critical of gamification projects: they have to understand the purposes they are framed to, and take part in projects whose non-gamer goals are merely civil without implying exploitation of the gamer. Framed to the ethical norms gamification in the TV promotion can be both an effective tool for promoting TV content, and also a way to change the social order for the better.

Conclusion.Theoretical conclusions of the study of the mass consciousness manipulation through using gamification in TV promotions can be widely used in teaching medialinguistics, speech culture, TV, philosophy of video games, humanitarian researche of video game, etc. The results of this study seem to be useful to media professionals.

Background. The paper focuses on manipulating the mass consciousness of the audience. Traditionally, this issue has been considered as an attempt to present the advertising of a TV product as information, but within the digital age, there is a desire to present promotion of TV content as a game. However, the “non-gaming” goals of the institutions that stand behind video games and games in alternate reality may be hidden from the players and serve commercial goals.

Objective. The study focuses on identifying and describing the advantages and disadvantages of using gamification in the TV promo-discourse. The author examines examples of using games in alternative reality and also multiplayer online games in real time in order to attract the attention of films and TV series viewers, analyzes the causes of success and failure of similar projects in related fields, and also in science and business.

Design. The study is valuable for interdisciplinary approach. Analyzing the use of gamification techniques in the TV promo-discourse the author raises topical issues of media psychology, perception psychology, philosophy of video games, ethics, communicative stylistics and media stylistics.

The paper highlights philological methods designed according to the tasks of the research: communicative discursive analysis, synchronic descriptive and synchronic comparative methods. The description of the provisions and forms of persuasive communication as applied to TV promotions includes elements of logical meaning-specific analysis (i.e. argumentative analysis), and also intentional, ethical and psychological analysis. This approach helps to give an adequate description of gamification effects in TV promodiscourse.

Results. The author comes to the conclusion that the ability of game mechanics to motivate mass recepients of the TV promo discourse to watch television programs is enormous, but the viewers of the TV channels need to be critical of gamification projects: they have to understand the purposes they are framed to, and take part in projects whose non-gamer goals are merely civil without implying exploitation of the gamer. Framed to the ethical norms gamification in the TV promotion can be both an effective tool for promoting TV content, and also a way to change the social order for the better.

Conclusion.Theoretical conclusions of the study of the mass consciousness manipulation through using gamification in TV promotions can be widely used in teaching medialinguistics, speech culture, TV, philosophy of video games, humanitarian researche of video game, etc. The results of this study seem to be useful to media professionals.

Background. One of theoretical approaches towards developmental tasks in adolescence is the study of personal autonomy. The modern fast-paced world expects adolescents to be independent and proactive.

The Objective is to study the overall state of the issue and to highlight the mostly discussed theoretical approaches to personal autonomy, to provide the reader with the detailed review of the approaches to personal autonomy from the view-point of autonomy conflict resolution.

Design. The analysis of various approaches to personal autonomy identified developmental sources of autonomy within intra- and in interpersonal ways. The paper discusses theoretical approaches to adolescent’s personal autonomy that considers conflict as a mechanism of development. The paper presents a model of psychological readiness to resolve autonomy conflicts that may disclose how conflicts are triggered and how they could be resolved within intra- and in interpersonal way.

Results. An analysis of classical and modern research has shown that personal autonomy is appropriated by adolescents through their resolution of conflicts in various areas of the psychological space. Based on the provisions of a number of theoretical approaches, it has been revealed that the core matter of conflicts is the contradiction “external control vs one's own will” and the contradiction “dependence vs independence”. The author proposes studying personal autonomy by drawing insights form psychological readiness of autonomy conflicts resolution using locus of control scale and also through the measurement of actual conflicts of autonomy and assertion as conflict resolution style using existential experience.

The author's vision of the personal autonomy of adolescents is based on the study of psychological readiness to resolve autonomy conflicts at the dispositional level. Conflict as a mechanism of development is a developmental crisis stage where contradictions could be removed. Diversity of classical and modern studies show that the autonomy is developed in adolescents through the resolution of conflicts in different spheres of psychological space. The social cognitive domain theory of J.G.Smetana and the theory of psychological sovereignty (S.K.Nartova-Bochaver) are discussed in detail. According to the theories under consideration, personal autonomy reveals in adolescents to a different degree and at different levels. In some domains, they are more independent, while they do not manifest independence in other psychological domains.

Conclusion. The approach to adolescents’ personal autonomy as autonomy conflict resolution in different psychological domains is described. Autonomy conflict resolution can be controlled or prohibited by close relatives, e.g. parents. The model of psychological readiness of autonomy conflict resolution may disclose how autonomy conflicts are triggered by and be resolved within intra- and in interpersonal way. The contradictions may be removed through autonomy conflict resolution.

Introduction. The Taylor Complex Figure (TCF) technique is one of the neuropsychologist’s tools and is used to diagnose children after 4 y.o. and adults for assessing visual spatial characteristics, visual constructive skills and visual memory.

However, the lack of quantitative standards for using the Taylor method obtained within the Russian sample makes it difficult to apply it both in research and in practical work.

The Objective is to obtain age standards of the “Taylor Integrated Figure” technique on children 4–17 years old, and also to validate it according to the results of a neuropsychological examination.

Procedure. The study used the quantitative approach to assess the “Taylor Integrated Figure” children of 4–17 years. Each of the 18 elements of the figure was evaluated by the quality of the pattern and the correctness of the placement in space. The figure obtained by copying the original image and the figure reproduced by memory 20 minutes after copying were separately evaluated. Additionally, a qualitative assessment of the figures was carried out according to the level of development of metric and structural topological representations. The study involved 377 children, of which 243 boys and 134 girls aged from 52 to 214 months (average age - 117 ± 42 months).

Results. The nonlinear dependence of the estimated indicators on age was found. Age standards for the implementation of the technique for 5 age groups (4–5, 6–7, 8–9, 10–12, 13–17 years) were calculated. Indicators of the complexity of working with each element of the figure were obtained. Based on the analysis of the success ratio of the simplest and most complex elements of the figure, a mathematically grounded threshold for making a decision on the presence of aggravation has been proposed. The validity of the technique was assessed based on the results of a neuropsychological examination. It is shown that the technique to the greatest extent measures structural and spatial functions and visual memory in children under 13 years, it has low discriminant validity with respect to other neuropsychological characteristics. The substantive validity of qualitative assessments and quantitative indicators is in many respects the same, while quantitative indicators are about 1.5 times more strongly associated with the results of neuropsychological diagnostics.

Conclusion. Analysis of the predictive ability of logistic regression models indicates the possibility of applying the technique for screening diagnostics at school. The method allows separating children without neurocognitive deficiency from those who need to undergo a full neuropsychological examination.

Background. Impaired ability to regulate the emotional state is significant both in the onset of alcohol addiciton and in its course. Despite the fact that it is generally accepted to consider alcoholism from the point of view of the biopsychosocial paradigm, cross-cultural studies of the individual psychological properties of patients with alcoholism are extremely few.

The Objective of the research was to analyze strategies and methods of emotional regulation within alcoholism in the residents of St. Petersburg (Group 1) and the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) (Group 2). Research hypotheses: there are regional and national differences in the emotional regulation strategies; emotional regulation strategies may occur due to socio-cultural factors.

Design. The research involved patients who were treated with drug at St. Petersburg Bekhterev Research Psycho-Neurological Institute (St. Petersburg Bekhterev NIPNI) and Yakutsk Republican Drug Dispensary. The sample included persons aged 18 to 70 years old diagnosed with alcohol addiction syndrome (F10.2) in accordance with ICD-10 and fluent in Russian. In total, 60 people took part in the study, 30 of them were residents of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region (Group 1), 30 people are residents of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia) (Group 2).

Results. Significant regional differences were found in the use of the cognitive strategy of emotion regulation “positive reavaluation” (p = 0.01) in the residents of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region and residents of Yakutia. The basic strategy of emotional regulation is “suppression of expression” (p = 0.02), and also such difficulties of emotional regulation as “aversion of emotional reactions” (p = 0.002), “difficulties in showing impulsive reactions” (p = 0.007), “limited array of strategies emotional regulation ”(p = 0.003) are characteristic of residents of the Republic of Sakha (Yakutia). They reflect the cultural-based features of the northern peoples that are expressed in emotional restraint, propensity to suppress emotions and feelings.

Conclusion. The study of emotional regulation in alcohol pathology in reference to national and regional affiliation of individuals is of fundamental importance for solving problems in the field of ethnic psychology and psychiatry. In order to effectively provide medical, psychological and psychotherapeutic care to patients with alcohol addiction and other forms of addictive disorders it is necessary to take into account national and regional characteristics that can be an internal resource for the success of the assistance provided.

Background. The issue of the applied clinical psychology methodology is very relevant due to the considerable diversity and unsystematic review of modern research. There is a confusion of research works focused on the psychological explanation of mental disorders, statistically correlation studies, which provide links between various parameters, properties and characteristics based on a study of various clinical patient groups, and also incomplete works of applied research in clinical psychology.

The Objective of the paper is a theoretical and analytical study of the applied clinical psychology.

Design. The analysis of the current situation of applied clinical psychology is given, the prospects for development are studied and the forecasts of foreign researchers about the future of clinical psychology are performed. Particular attention is paid to the development opportunities of further methodology issues of applied clinical psychology founded by G. Munsterberg, its use in the design of a wide range of applications of psychology in modern medicine. The possibilities of developing applied medical psychology in the modern information society, the development of its new methods, analysis and subsequent tech-based approach are discussed.

Results. A wide array of applied clinical psychology opportunities related to the prospects of tech-based practical medicine and its organization is presented. The analysis of the problem field of applied clinical psychology brings out the need for system design of new applied psychological developments in medicine. Preliminary data show that a deeper systemic level of development can be associated with the applied cultural historical psychology in their design.

February 21, 2019 at the Department of Psychology, Moscow Lomonosov State University, Obukhova Readings were held on the occasion of  L.F. Obukhova 's 80th anniversary. The event as devoted to the topical issues of developmental psychology, modern childhood and family.

Background. Lyudmila Filippovna Obukhova (July 22, 1938 - July 20, 2016) made a great contribution to the study of the developmental psychology.

The Objective is to recreate the portrait of L.F. Obukhova retrieved from her personal memories, to identify some features of her personality, to present the most important areas of her research and teaching job in the field of developmental and general psychology, to show her grateful attitude towards parents, teachers, colleagues.

Design.The paper shows that L.F. Obukhova, after graduating from the Department of Psychology at the Faculty of Philosophy, Moscow Lomonosov State University, worked in the field of child psychology. She carried out a comprehensive theoretical and experimental analysis of the Geneva School of Genetic Psychology, established by the eminent Swiss psychologist J.Piaget and his followers. Being a student of P.Ya. Galperin, she worked in the wake of her teacher’s ideas, was a part of his scientific school, conducted lectures on Galperin’s theory and carried out her own research that made a significant contribution to the development of Galperin’s theory. L.F. Obukhova showed that in the stream of all psychological theories of child development, the concepts of Piaget and Galperin are the main approaches to the issue of ontogenetic development. Both of them are fruitful, but Vygotsky cultural-historical school is the most distinguished.

Results. Fruitful activities in the field of developmental psychology, the practical value of textbooks for psychology students allow us to classify L.F. Obukhov as classical Russian psychologist.

Background. In connection with the 80^thanniversary of a famous Russian psychologist, Professor of Developmental Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Lyudmila F. Obukhova it is relevant to analyse one of the most striking pages in her scientific heritage associated with her experimental study of the conditions and mechanisms of child thinking development.

The Objective is to consider the experimental model of the child’s transition from one stage of cognitive development to another elaborated by L. F. Obukhova on the basis of Pyotr Ya. Galperin’s theory, and to compare it with two alternative models created by the followers of J. Piaget in the Geneva psychological school (B. Inhelder, M. Bovet, H. Sinclair) and in the framework of American cognitive psychology (R. Siegler).

Design. Comparative analysis of the theoretical foundations and effectiveness of the three approaches to child cognitive development modeling, as well as the adequacy and completeness of the conceptual description of the according three experimental procedures: formative experiment, cognitive learning and microgenetic observation. 

Results. The method of L. F. Obukhova was the first significant attempt to reproduce the process and mechanisms of child’s transition from the preoperational stage of development to the operational stage in the conditions of the forming experiment. Using the method of "cognitive learning" allowed identifying the discrepancy between its actual psychological content and the interpretation of intellectual development as a spontaneous process. The evolution of microgenetic approach up to the modern position is traced through the identity of development and learning. 

Concusion. In contrast to the "cognitive learning" and microgenetic analysis method, the forming model of the study allows  recreating essential conditions of child cognitive development that are usually scattered in the spontaneous experience of the child and stretched in time.

Background. The paper focuses upon L.F. Obukhova's ideas about creativity in children, the search for objective mechanisms for the development of child thinking in solving creative problems. The paper is prepared in connection with the conference “Scientific Readings in Memory of L.F. Obukhova (1938-2016), Professor of Moscow State Lomonosov University” on the occasion of her 80th birthday.

The Objective of the analytical and theoretical research is rethinking the basic ideas of L.F. Obukhova in the study of key aspects of child creativity and systematic study of thinking based on ‘open-end’ type problems that allow multiple solutions.    

Design. The psychological characteristics of creativity in children and its relationship with other mental processes are consistently considered. The mental processes are perception, emotions, intelligence, imagination; age peaks and declines in the development of creativity of preschoolers. The paper presents a critical analysis of measuring creativity, the impact of learning on the development of children on the basis of popular programs and trainings of creative thinking. The paper highlights the prospects of Obukhova's scientific approach to the vital issues in understanding mental development of the child, the ‘intersection of ideas’ of representatives of cultural-historical and natural-scientific paradigms.

Results. The heuristic possibilities of the analysis of the general and divergences of representatives of two main scientific paradigms in modern psychology are shown. According to L.F. Obukhova, the Torrence's Picture Construction Test shows the convergent strategies of solution, which contradicts Guilford's understanding of the phenomena of creativity. The cultural-historical paradigm highlights the artificial approach to the process of thinking though the prism of multiple factors.

Findings. The analysis showed that underestimating the role of adults in the teaching creativity brings about a partial solution to the problem articulated by E.P. Torrence: «Can we Teach Children To Think Creatively?» Building a comprehensive view of the mechanisms that induce creative processes brings closer to a deeper understanding of the issues of development and learning. 

Background. In recent decades, the living conditions and development of children have changed significantly. The group of children that is open to the new and is sensitive  enough is the group of children of early and preschool age since they have been formed and developed in completely different conditions than previous generations. The new childhood is taking shape and exists in the material, information, communicative, etc. environment that adults shape.

The Objective is to consider some general trends of the information environment of modern childhood and to fix a number of its contradictions and paradoxes.

Design.The paper attempts to determine the characteristics of modern preschool childhood through analyzing child information environment. Based on the analysis of the market for modern toys, books and films, the author states some paradoxes of the current socio-cultural situation. One of them consists in the fact that a significant part of the extensive information products for children is not designed for the age characteristics of the target audience. Another paradox lies in the fact that the increased demand for the child mental development is  combined with an excessively careful attitude to their physical security and independence. Particular attention is paid to computer technology in early and preschool childhood.

Results.The identified features of modern children in connection with the characteristics of the child subculture are discussed. Among them there are the underdevelopment of large and small motor skills, impaired speech development, lack of imagination, communication difficulties, lack of independence and self-organization. Having a high level of awareness, mental development and technical literacy, children still remain passive, dependent on adults and external circumstances.

Findings.The author concludes that the attitudes of adults to early development, which is understood as “learning,” inhibits the development of the child’s personality and brings about lack of motivation. Attempting to accelerate intellectual development inepts and sometimes blocks the development of the child’s personality. With all the ambiguity of the concept of "personality", the key defining its characteristics are self-reliance, independence, and responsibility. It is these characteristics that are most affected in modern children.

As part of the Scientific Readings in memory of L.F. Obukhova, Professor of Moscow Lomonosov State University, on the occasion of her 80th anniversary, a memorial round table was held. The participants who knew Lyudmila Obukhova shared their memories of working and personal contact with her.

Background. Psychology Department of Moscow Lomonosov State University together with Russian Psychological Association has celebrated the 80th birth anniversary of Lyudmila Obukhova. She was an outstanding world known expert in developmental psychology, mental development, family and child matters, etc.
The Objective is to analyze fruitful scientific and personal achievements of Lyudmila Obukhova of the 15 last years of her life that are uncovered by her colleagues at the Psychology Department of Moscow Lomonosov State University.

Design. The paper describe sour collaboration with Lyudmila Obukhova in 2002-2016: lecturing trips, participation in international congresses and conferences, e.g.the 2nd Congress of the International Association of Cultural Research (ISCAR) in San Diego, USA; the first International Vygotsky memorial Conference in Lisbon, Portugal; the XX International Congress of gerontology in Seoul, South, Korea; the first International Congress on child psychology in Braga, Portugal; The 6th International Conference on Nutrition and Physical Activity in Taipei, Taiwan’; The 7th International Conference on Cognitive Sciences in Svetlogorsk, ethnographic expedition in Kamchatka and more. An integration of various research issues and their international value should be underlined as well as Obukhova’s exceptional personality and communication talent.

Conclusion. Obukhova’s array of interests is identified, her personality is revealed, her unusual gift of communication is shown. International recognition of her research is revealed.

Abstract of L.F. Obukhova at the 6th International Conference on Nutrition and Physical Activity (Taipei, Taiwan 22.10.2015)

Background. The paper provides the results of studying gender views on parenthood. For efficient performance of the parent role the system of the subject’s ideas about the phenomenon of “parenthood” and its specific features, as well as personal features aimed at the effective performance of parental functions by both women (mothers) and men (fathers) are laid emphasis on.

The Objective is to describe the pilot experimental research focused on males and females’ attitude to parenthood. The hypothesis of the study is an assumption about gender-specific attitude to parenthood in males and females in relation to the parental roles and functions that are eventually actualized in children.  Females are focused on personal relationships with a child and emotionally coloured attitudes towards them, while for males mostly active forms of parenting are typical.

Design. The first stage of theoretical understanding of the issue included the literature review of the foreign and Russian national psychologists focused on the psychology of parenthood (A. Adler, E. Badinter, D. Winnicott, M. Marcons, M. Mead, D. Peynes, S. Fanti, E. Erickson; T.V. Andreeva, K.N. Belogay, N.N. Vasyagina, A.I. Zakharova, O.A. Karabanova, S.Yu. Meshcheryakova, R.V. Ovcharova, V.A. Ramikh, Yu.A. Tokareva, G.G. Filippova, L.B. Schneider, etc.). The second stage of the research was focused on the study of gender-specific ideas about parenthood.

Results. Based on the analysis of the existing approaches to understanding the phenomenon of “parenthood”, we defined it as a complex personal education including positive affective manifestations of the subject in relation to children shaped in the process of his interaction with the child and having a positive impact on the entire harmonious development and education of children. The survey data showed that the respondents expressed gender-specific attitudes to parenthood. In particular, the discrepancy lies in the perceptions of males and females of the “ideal parent” and their parental roles.

Conclusion.The study proved the presence of gender features in the ideas of parenthood. To optimize the level and content of ideas about parenting will contribute to further rendering psychological support for the family.

Background. Recently, scientific and technological progress allows the widespread use of high-tech electronic means to create security systems. The advantages of identifying people who are high on drugs or alcohol with video surveillance systems on pupillograms are indisputable. However, those who bear aggressive intentions stay in the shade. The standard method of identifying emotions aimed at recording facial expressions is sufficient enough, but it is difficult to recognize negative intentions in a person if they keep control of themselves. To solve this problem, we propose to switch from passive safety systems to active ones. Therefore, studies of the pupillary response to the stimuli presented are relevant today.

The Objective of the research is to identify patterns of pupillograms that can be used to control pupillary reactions to the stimuli significant for an individual. Simultaneously, the following tasks were solved: checking the possibility of interpreting the pupillogram by synchronizing them with the tracks of the attention focus and searching for the sites of the pupillograms allegedly resulting from emotions in response to the presented stimuli.

Design. At the first stage, the images used as stimuli presented to the subjects of the research were selected. Incentives were thematic in nature and contributed to identifying the unstable psychophysical state of a person or their susceptibility to aggression. At the second stage, the calibration of the optoelectronic system used to record the pupillograms and oculograms, as well as stabilizing factors that affect the size of the pupils, was carried out. Pupilograms were obtained using groups of two age categories (16–25 years old and 45–50 years old) of 10 and 5 subjects accordingly (both males and females). The subjects selected for the research did not have any eye diseases; their eye sight was normal or adjusted.

Results.The interdependence of the size of the pupils and the displacement of the center of attention were identified. The verification of the pupillogram rank correlation was obtained when different subjects viewed identical sequences of visual stimuli showed that in general the p significance level did not exceed the critical value alpha = 0.05. The reliability of the correlation confirms the pupillograms depend on the shape of the objects viewed and the patterns that unite the pupillograms. The microsaccades in pupillograms are well explained by moving and focusing the gaze on the details of the image, which makes it possible to interpret them as waves of attention. Synchronizing the pupillograms and oculograms allows distinguishing areas that are presumably explained by the emotional reaction of the individual to a weak external stimulus. The Fourier analysis of the pupillograms revealed a change in the observed frequency spectrum, depending on the presence or absence of an emotional reaction, the speed of the shift in the focus of attention.

Findings.The observed set of frequencies suggests a connection between the diameters of the eye pupils and the brain potentials. The practical significance of the results is to expand the possibilities of using biometric security systems, including prevention of suicide in adolescents.

Background. The paper contains a revised text of Lev Vygotsky's review of Andrei Bely's novel “Petersburg”. In addition to Vygotsky’s review the paper presents the author’s comment. The review is of particular importance for understanding the biography facts of Lev Vygotsky, the greatest psychologist of the twentieth century.

The Objective is to provide the modern reader with a semantic understanding of both the text of the peer-reviewed novel and a special stage of personal, national and religious self-determination of Lev Vygotsky, the outstanding psychologist of the twentieth century.

Design. When working on the comment, traditional historical and philological methods of text analysis and reading techniques were used to identify the hidden and implicit citations contained in Vygotsky's review from a number of interpretation angles. One of them concerns the artistic features of the novel associated with the distinctive aesthetics of symbolism. Another perspective is connected with the religious and philosophical issues that determine the ideological position of Andrey Bely. The third one concerns a wide range of issues related to anti-Semitism issues.

Results. We sought to give the reader an opportunity to feel the urgency of the political situation and ideology in the Russian intelligentsia of the period when the novel was created and the review was written. We tried to devote particular attention to the aspects of a psychological phenomena (e.g. consciousness, semantic understanding) and those methodological principles that Vygotsky would later use in his own psychological research.

Findings.The analysis of Vygotsky's review carried out in the paper will help clarify the authenticity of the cultural-historical approach of Vygotsky as psychologist. Keywords:symbolism, artistic features of the text, anti-Semiteism, Sionism, consciousness, self-determination.